underwhelms | ( bootycall )

There's a café in the market district that I'm outside of. You can't miss me!

[ There can't be that many in Olympia that she has to specify, right... and besides, her dramatic little self stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the passer-bys around her. ]

It looks kind of expensive inside, but it will be my treat!! [ She misses the small things city life had to offer, so it's a price she's willing to pay. ] So don't worry~

[ He can't say no to a date, and he's not particularly worried about price but if Misa wants to treat him (thanks, sugar mama) then he won't complain. ]

Sure, I'll be there in a sec.

[ And true to form, it doesn't take JJ too long, now fairly familiar with the streets of Olympia. He might also have been hurrying it along, eager to see what Misa had brought to show him.

He finds her easily enough, making no pretense as he falls into one of the chairs at her table. ]

Whoa, it's Misa Misa! In the flesh. She's even smaller in person.

[ He's just teasing ofc!! ]

[ Her easy smile only grows into a cheeky grin at his comment, the silver from the trio of crosses that hung from her ears and neck glinting from the slight tilt of her head. She puts down the small menu in her hands in order to place her purse (it has cute bat wings on it) on the table, snickering: ]

Just you wait! You're going to become Misa's fan for real after this.

[ She'll dig through her purse without revealing what's inside, before pausing for a second. ]

I bet you can guess what it is!!

[ He grins in return to her cheeky look, eyes catching on her purse with interest. She's probably right; he can't guess why she asked him out here at all, but he leans forward on the table, obviously curious. ]

Is it... a family heirloom?

[ :grimacing: ]

Close! But not quite.

[ And thus, she pulls out one magazine and holds it out almost right in his face, front cover facing out. The cover features a colorful photo of her, dressed in designer clothes that were cute, refreshing, and the complete opposite of her generally edgy and gothic ensembles. ]

Ta-da! Straight from home!!

[ The tagline on this particular one reads something akin to Top idol Misa-Misa lands commercial with Yotsuba!! and other such corny hooks bragging about having the inside scoop about her life. The spreads inside are filled from page to page with pictures of her, interviews, the whole nine yards. True to her word, it's dated to be from 2004, but thanks to ~*alien magic*~ all the words have been translated into the language the refugees spoke now.

She practically shoves it into his hands so she can pull out the others in her bag and look through one herself. ]

Told you I was a star!

Oh my god.

[ JJ actually sits up when Misa brings the magazines out, revelling at the bit of culture that should've been lost with Earth. He doesn't need to fake interest as he takes the one she offers him, not understanding a lick of the text but completely captivated by the pictures.

Misa's image. ]

I believed you! Wow. This is incredible...

[ He remembers still what Misa had told him about the trials of her career, expression soft as he wonders how many hours the shoots must've taken, all the work that went into building her brand. ]

I guess they didn't need to use an ounce of airbrushing when it comes to you, eh?

Nope! Misa is what they call a natural beauty!

[ She hums, practically beaming in her seat. The praise, combined with these physical objects attesting to her nationwide renowned beauty, feed her ego more than it ever has been in the months she's been here. Her smile only grows as she turns through the one she's holding, stopping to admire every page for what it's worth. ]

That one you're holding is the most recent of all of them, at least out of the ones I got back. Of course they couldn't get all of them back to me, there were just so many...

[ That's not even being conceited, that's just facts. ]

But at least it's enough for you to see a glimpse of Misa-Misa in her prime.

[ He almost makes a comment about her coming all the way to Olympia to show him this, and it wouldn't have even been a jab, just an honest interpretation. Luckily, JJ's mind catches up with his mouth before the words ever have a chance to be vocalized, when he remembers everything that Misa had said about how hard she worked as a model, all the effort and harassment that went into her daily life.

He looks closer at the images over the pages, and thinks about how many times he'd skated and smiled despite the sheer exhaustion wracking his body, or the aches that would flair up from old injuries or overburdening the muscles.

When he looks away from the magazine, it's to give her a warm, genuine smile. ]

Sorry about what I said about modelling being easy the other day. [ His gaze flicks back to one of the images, and he taps it gently, proud. ] There's no way an ordinary person could do this. I'm really glad you showed me, Misa.

[ Coming all the way over here to share a bit of herself with him... It makes him feel oddly warm. ]

[ She is proud of her modelling work, and though she hasn't told him about her family yet, she is doubly proud that everything here is self made and self marketed. She alone was the one that built the Misa-Misa brand up from the ground, with her own hand and eye for fashion. Her world of modelling and everything that came with it was unimportant in the face of her life with Light, but without him around she can admit that her career was pretty spectacular while it lasted. ]

It's okay about the modelling thing! I forgive you. [ Her tone is light and joking, and she covers her mouth when she laughs over it. It's oddly fun sharing these things with people, especially with someone who got what it was like to be in the spotlight, in a celebrity's spotlight and not a top student's. ] You really had no idea, did you~

[ It was an idol's job to make their life look carefree and fun, after all. She honestly looks like she's having the time of her life teasing him and admiring herself, flipping through makeup ad after makeup ad. ]

I guess there's no way you could know unless you got close with an idol! But pretty much everyone knows athletes have to train really hard.

I didn't! But I should've known.

[ Considering that he used to frequent celebrity events fairly often back on Earth. Everyone knew that celebrity life was difficult, odd hours, people constantly touching you, not to mention public scrutiny. But JJ just... never thought about it. While some of his own fans were a little too eager, their behaviour never bothered him. Nor had his personal life being put in the spotlight ever bothered him—he's from a generation that would publish every detail on Instagram.

He'd never thought about how hard it could get, because it didn't apply to him.

Not that Misa makes it seem like any of that could deter her from her ambitions, and he smiles a little at her exuberance. He also doesn't think it's weird at all for her to fawn over herself. ]

Has seeing these magazines gotten you pumped up?

Yes! I'm super pumped!!

[ She sets her little fists in a fired up pose, her facial expression changing into something that can only be accurately described as >:3. ]

Now I can show everyone just how famous I was going to be on - you know where! [ A little piece of home, something to remind her of how great her life was before, that this place isn't everything that defined her. ] I know we're not supposed to live in the past, but I didn't have anything fun to show anyone from home. So it is really exciting for Misa~

[ Not that she expected anyone to not believe her tales of being a model (I mean, who wouldn't believe someone this adorable), but it's still satisfying to show herself off. ]

Though, I guess some people won't get why it is a big deal. [ People not from Earth, specifically. ] Only another celebrity can understand what it's like! Some stuff, at least.

[ JJ just laughs, motivated by her enthusiasm. Her comment about leaving the past behind—well. ]

I don't think there's anything wrong with celebrating the past. [ And to emphasize this, he takes out his phone so that he can take some pictures of the spread in front of him. ] You worked hard, and just because it's gone doesn't mean it wasn't real.

[ Just like their feelings and relationships with those still in slumber, but JJ doesn't bring that up. He's bringing it up less and less often in face. Maybe he's a hypocrite, telling Misa to celebrate and hold onto where she came from, while at the same time trying to distance himself from what ties him to the pods on Thesa Station. ]

See yourself published is always so surreal... Maybe you should start your own magazine. Then every issue can be a Misa special.

[ Surely that would never get old. ]

Without fans of me or people I know awake, it's hard to feel like any of it was real or a big commotion, you know? You can only talk about it so much before it sounds like you are stretching the truth.

[ At least that's how she felt; probably because she "tries" to keep from bragging about her achievements unless it's directly relevant to the topic at hand.

She leans a little bit more of her weight on the table, clasping her hands together dreamily so she can prop up her cheek. It's genuinely pretty amusing to watch him take pictures of the magazines for himself, but she doesn't want to stare, so she goes back to closing the one in her hands so she can set it next to all the others that are still in chronological order. ]

Though, if I was going to rebuild my fame here and have my own magazine, I'd do it totally different from these... I'd have to find people to shoot me, printers to print it, and then people to buy out the first editions to get the word out. [ She hums. ] I guess I would have to leave that up to you, Leanne, Juvia, and Light's sister if she ever woke up. The new Misa-Misa fanclub!

[ shes only... 85% joking ]

( bootycall )

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